Blackbird Fly
by rizzlescalzonafic
Summary: Set after 3x14 OMW. Quinn is permanently paralyzed in the car accident trying to attend Rachel's wedding. Now that high school is over and college looms ahead, how will she cope navigating the Ivy League campus from a wheelchair? Along the way she joins the Yale swim team surprising her hometown friends. Rachel. Santana.
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

Reposting the first three chapters to see if there is any interest this time. If you like it please review and I'll continue to work on it.

Summary: Set after OMW. Quinn is permanently paralyzed in the car accident trying to attend Rachel's wedding. Now that high school is over and college looms ahead, how will she cope navigating the Ivy League campus from a wheelchair? Along the way she joins the Yale swim team surprising her hometown friends. Rachel. Santana.

**Blackbird Fly - Prologue**

Santana sauntered up to Quinn's door a little after five in the morning, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. It was August and they were headed to New Haven and New York respectively. Both girls turned down Mrs. Lopez' offer to drive them; they would manage on their own. Santana shoved another duffle full of supplies into the back of her car.

"You ready Q?"

Quinn and Mrs. Fabray were locked in a hug just inside the front door. She could smell the booze seeping from every pore in the older woman. Quinn shot her a frantic look, while unsuccessfully trying to extract herself from her mother's clutches.

Santana barely held back her anger. The woman pretty much abandoned the girl during her recovery and the months spent in therapy and now she was clinging to Quinn as if she deserved the right. Santana held no love for Quinn's mother and she was not ashamed to show it. Santana wanted to snatch Quinn away and never let the woman near her.

"Mom! We need to go." Quinn finally managed to pull one arm free. It wasn't easy.

"Anything else need to go in the car Q?"

"Just me," Quinn grunted from within the embrace and finally extracted herself fully, pushing back away from her mom. She leaned over the side of her chair and grabbed a small gym bag from the floor beside the door and settled it on her lap.

"You'll let me know you made it right?" Judy Fabray sounded like a little kid.

"Yes, mom!" Quinn sounded exasperated, but quickly rolled out the door. Outside she shrugged her shoulders helplessly.

"I feel bad about just leaving her."

"Don't Q! She doesn't deserve your love." Santana was done with this conversation; it was time to get a move on.

At the car Santana took the bag from Quinn so that the blonde could go about getting herself in the passengers seat.

Quinn lifted her left leg into the car and then grabbed the overhead bar with her right hand. With the help of her left hand on the car seat, Quinn swung her hips in and then began dismantling her chair.

Santana didn't bother offering Quinn help into the vehicle anymore knowing that Quinn didn't need the help. However she took the offered bits to the wheelchair and after much grumbling from the Latina she fit everything in and they set off.

The drove two thirds of the way, with a few stops along the way to take care of business, and then stopped for the day. Santana stretched her legs while Quinn disappeared into the bathroom.

The night was spent catching up with each other. There hadn't been much time with Quinn's recovery and all the chaos involved with graduating high school.

The next morning's short drive was spent with more chatter to pass the time. Santana was impressed with the old campus, but she was also concerned about her bestie coping with the uneven pathways. When she voiced her concern, Quinn had laughed at her.

Inside, Quinn too wondered if she was being just a little too ambitious so soon after her accident.

She was a Fabray after all, stubborn to the extreme and Yale had always been her dream. She hid her concern from Santana.

They made quick work of settling Quinn into the first floor dorm room and before Santana was forced to head off to her own college in New York. Promises were made to keep in touch. They both wondered as Santana backed out of her parking space if they would really keep in touch.

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Reposting the first three chapters to see if there is any interest this time. If you like it please review and I'll continue to work on it.

Summary: Set after 3x14 OMW. Quinn is permanently paralyzed in the car accident trying to attend Rachel's wedding. Now that high school is over and college looms ahead, how will she cope navigating the Ivy League campus from a wheelchair? Along the way she joins the Yale swim team surprising her hometown friends. Rachel. Santana.

**Blackbird Fly - Part One**

_Blackbird singing in the dead of night_

_Take these broken wings and learn to fly_

_All your life_

_You were only waiting for this moment to arise_

The text came out of the blue early one November morning during their first semester in college.

Quinn: I tried out for the swim team.

Santana: That's awesome! How'd it go?

Quinn: First meet is at Columbia. Will you come watch?!

Santana: Rachel is shrieking in the background. I think I'm deaf now! Of course we are coming. Your personal Quinn Fabray cheering section. When?

Quinn: Saturday. Starts at 10am. Not sure when my heat is yet.

Santana: We will be there at 10. Can we hang before or after?

Quinn: Def. after.

Saturday came quickly and Quinn was nervous. Santana visited her at Yale a few times since their tearful goodbye outside Quinn's dorm in August, but the rest of the group she hadn't seen since graduation. She currently sat, in the cool November air, outside the Yale Swim Center in her track suit and letter jacket waiting for the bus to take them to New York City. Matt stood behind her, with their gym bags over his shoulder, his hand resting lightly against the top of her shoulder.

Coach Magee was currently shouting instructions about the schedule and what would happen when they arrived. The team had a lot of freshman this year; nerves were high. Finally the bus arrived. Quinn had been dreading this moment. She was pretty adept now at negotiating obstacles and figuring out ways to work through and around situations so her legs and wheelchair wouldn't limit her. Getting up a flight of stairs on a tour bus was not something she looked forward to. She would be exhausted before she even left Yale. She could definitely do it lifting herself from one step to then the next. Going up would be less scary than going down but she worked really hard to earn the respect of her teammates and struggling up the steps while the men and women's diving and swim teams watched made the butterflies in her stomach take flight.

She was going to throw up.

She waited while the rest of the team ran up and down the steps, storing luggage in an early morning, sleep induced daze.

"May I give the lady a ride?" Matt appeared in front of her with a slight smile. He really was the perfect gentlemen with her. Never condescending... just perfect.

"We'll if you are offering to be my trusty steed then yes." She arched her eyebrow at him.

"Hop on Lady Fabray." He squatted in front of her and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. His fabulously strong shoulders. There were perks to dating a swim jock. Massive shoulders that could carry her to the moon and back. He stood, with her straddling his back and his strong arms holding her legs and hips. For a moment she felt like she was flying, weightless, free and laughed at how silly and great she felt.

"It's ride a cowboy Fabray not ride a rich kid!" Someone in the back cackled; the bus to burst into laughter as Matt crested the top of the steps. She rolled her eyes at the ribbing. She enjoyed every moment when she was just another member of the team. Everyone harped on everyone and that she was not exempt because she had a disability was something that please Quinn to no end.

Tracie high-five'd her with a knowing smile as Matt gently helped her into a seat. In that moment Quinn realized that with great friends, life could be really good...amazing actually. True friends accepted her with open arms, chair and all.

XxxxxxxX

Santana held Brittany's hand and followed Rachel and Kurt into the swimming hall. It was muggy and smelled like chlorine. Rachel's face was scrunched and Kurt frantically patted at his hair complaining of the humidity and his perfect hairstyle.

"Rach, did Q say this was an able-bodied event?" Santana questioned, confusion lacing her words.

"You talked to her not me. Why'd I wear a skirt?" The short brunette mumbled stepping over seats of bleachers.

"I just figured it would be adaptive." Santana cringed at how that sounded.

Brittany squeezed her hand "We all did, Sannie."

Women in navy blue track suits were all over the deck below and the Columbia swim team was in the pool doing their warm-up. Santana was the first to spot Quinn, sitting behind the diving platform. The blonde was blocked from the view of most of the crowd, but her friends could see her perfectly. The Quinn Fabray they knew was definitely competitive. She looked peaceful and in her element wearing the navy blue warm-up jacket with the Y for Yale proudly on the front, a pair of matching warm-up pants and socks covering her feet. Santana's heart clenched painfully seeing Quinn's lifeless feet just hanging there; Quinn couldn't be bothered to fix her feet on the footrest. She would be vacating her chair soon enough anyway.

Santana sat there watching Quinn, the blonde was deep into her pre-race routine, while being transported back to her childhood. Quinn never really showed anyone in Glee but she was an amazing tap dancer. She and Quinn would hang out in the blonde's garage when they were younger and Quinn would just dance away tapping out a rhythm like a hummingbird that only Quinn could hear.

The ten minute warning for the start of the backstroke crackled through the loudspeaker.

"Quinn's buff!" Kurt blurted out suddenly drawing Santana back into the present. She glanced back at Quinn who had shed her warm-up jacket, the earphones now rested on her head. Santana admitted that Quinn was in fact, very buff. Her shoulders were super defined from all the work they had to do now and as Quinn slowly stretched one arm above her head and back around behind her mimicking the backstroke, the muscles bunched and relaxed powerfully like a birds wings in flight. Quinn continued stretching, oblivious to the crowds.

At the five minute warning a woman, who eerily reminded the former Cheerio of Coach Sue, approached Quinn. Santana couldn't make out the conversation but Quinn looked nervous. The coach said something and Quinn's frown morphed into that face splitting smile and she relaxed.

It physically hurt Santana, a sickening feeling taking hold in her stomach, to watch Quinn use her arms to scoot side to side in her chair as she worked the track pants off, lifting one leg out and then the other. For as defined and muscular as Quinn's upper body was, her lower body tapered drastically and her legs, once muscular, were thin like sticks. If it wasn't so fresh in their minds they wouldn't believe it hadn't even been a full year since the accident but the jagged red scars all over Quinn's legs remind them. They'd come very close to losing Quinn all together. Santana learned just that week in her physical therapy coursework just how fast muscles can atrophy with disuse.

Quickly, Quinn wrapped her legs in a towel. There was a real need to keep paralyzed legs warm to prevent muscle spasms and help with circulation, Santana remembered from her text book.

Quinn rolled towards them ignoring the murmuring from the gathered crowd. They realize the moment that Quinn spotted them in the crowd, her eyebrow arched in typical Quinn fashion, before she turned left suddenly rolling towards the edge of the pool. The towel that was resting on her lap was quickly unfolded out on the deck in front of her. She was in the second from last lane with Columbia swimmers on either side of her. Santana felt her anger mount as the swimmers shared a look over the top of Quinn's head. Quinn simply ignored them going about getting her self from the chair and onto the waiting towel in a fluid movement.

Santana momentarily flashed back to the first few months after the accident when Quinn could barely hold herself upright. At the two minute mark Quinn pulled her socks off, placed them, her iPod and the towels in her chair and gave the chair a quick shove sending it rolling backwards towards her teammates. She was right at the edge of the pool with an arm wrapped around her legs holding them in place, which she'd pulled up to her chest. She dipped into the pool with her other hand and splashed water up onto herself.

At the one minute warning Quinn looked over towards them, but Santana realized she wasn't looking at them but at a bunch of the Yale men's swim team that sat on the first few rows of bleachers. Quinn smiled at someone and nodded before focusing back on the water. She had her goggles on and Santana didn't even remember when Quinn did that.

At the 30 second whistle Quinn pushed off the edge of the pool disappearing below the surface. It was ugly without the use of her legs. A volley of splashes followed as the rest of the swimmers in the heat jumped in. Santana saw the concern on Brittany, Rachel and Kurt's faces. Rachel released a shuddering breath when Quinn surfaced a brief moment later.

Santana took note of just how little time Quinn had to wedge her legs between the side of the pool and her upper body on the starting block. The swimmers held their bodies in position, still as frozen ice. The five seconds for the race to start seemed like an eternity and Santana watched Quinn's shoulder's quiver under holding her full body weight fighting against gravity with her paralyzed limbs.

The starting gun sounded and the strong athletic bodies arched off the starting blocks. It's obvious that Quinn doesn't get the push off that everyone else does. She surfaces first only going about the third of the distance the other swimmers achieve. But as soon as she starts the backstroke she makes up distance, quickly coming out ahead as the other swimmers just begin to surface from their initial dive.

Kurt's shrill voice screaming 'Go Quinn!' is louder than Rachel. Brittany had her hands over her ears but she's screaming too.

Quinn's going strong and holding in the middle of the pack as they approach the turn. It's a struggle and she can't push off the wall like the rest. By the time the swimmer's surface, several more are ahead of her.

'C'mon Lady Fabray! Push through it!" Someone from the male swim team hollered and now the team jump to their feet cheering Quinn on. Quinn's body glides faster through the water, strong, powerful shoulders pumping to a beat only Quinn knows.

With one last surge her hand taps the wall. She lets herself float in place for a second savoring the feeling of weightlessness before looping her arm through the bar on the starting block.

Santana watched as Quinn pulls the goggles up to rest on the top of her swimming cap. Quinn doesn't place in the heat, but you would never know it by the huge grin on the blonde's face. Most of the swimmers duck underneath the lane dividers to reach her lane, patting her on the back or giving her high-fives before swimming back to their own lanes.

Santana can see Quinn's arms shaking with strain of the race and doing all the work for her lower body. Suddenly her chair is there and Quinn lets her teammates pull her from the water onto the deck. Quinn's legs are caught in a spasm, her feet jumping on the footrest, for a brief moment and she grimaced slightly, it was annoying more than anything; there is a smile on Quinn's face that never quits. While she accepted the help from the water, Quinn lifts herself from the deck into her wheelchair. She wraps a towel around her legs and another around her shoulders before turning her chair away from the water. Instead of heading back to the spot under the diving platform she turns in a tight circle towards the visiting team locker room. On her way past the men's team, she beams at someone happy tears forming in her eyes.

Santana, Brittany, Rachel and Kurt echo Quinn's tears.

_Take these broken wings and learn to fly_

_You were only waiting for this moment to arise_

**TBC**

Please review.


	3. Chapter 2

Special thanks to Oracleismyname for some technical advise.

Chapter 2

Back in the locker room, Quinn pulled a little key from the small bag attached underneath her chair and quickly opened the locker she was using. She couldn't reach the shelving at the top of so all her belongings were piled on top of her gym bag.

She leaned over, letting her upper body fold at the waist until she was resting on her knees and began fiddling with her belongings. She grabbed fresh towels and scooted them onto the bench beside her chair, followed by the little bag containing her shower gel, shampoo and conditioner which she clipped to her chair frame.

Unlike some of her teammates, Quinn was done for the day. She'd take the time now to clean up, chlorine made her skin feel itchy. Well, at least the parts of it she could still feel. Next came a robe, she dropped the cushion onto the gym bag and then her iPod. She pushed herself upright and slammed the locker. Finally, she locked the breaks and shifted her hips on to the bench. The wet towels came off her seat and she lined it with fresh dry ones. One more transfer back into the wheelchair and she pulled her feet back onto the footrest with a puff. She's built up stamina with all the swimming, but still found her arms shot after her heat.

In the shower stall, thankfully there was an accessible one as she didn't want to even think what she'd have done if there wasn't, she transferred to the shower bench.

Back at her locker a little bit later, with her teammates coming and going between their heats, Quinn began reversing the process and drying off. She felt extremely awkward when she first joined the team, not wanting anyone to see the scars on her torso or how laborious it was. The scars on her legs were inevitable. Swimsuits didn't hide much.

At first she'd try to squeeze into the dressings stalls, but often found it an exercise in futility as either her chair didn't fit or the transfer was to precarious. After a while she simply put pride aside and couldn't be bothered. The first few times, there was a lot of staring and blushing going on, quite a few questions which she tried to answer as honestly as possible. She'd much rather answer their questions than deal with the starring.

Now though, no one really paid attention as she shoved her legs into her warm-up pants and beginning wiggling them up her legs and past her thighs.

She tossed her cushion back in the seat and transfer over, dropped her stuff into the duffle and stowed it back in the bottom of the locker.

Quinn spun around once the key was stored and headed quickly towards the entrance to poolside, but caught sight of her reflection in the mirror right before the doorway.

"Duh, Quinn," she mumbled to herself while spinning back around. She'd forgotten socks and shoes.

Santana was growing nervous. Quinn had disappeared into the locker room forty minutes earlier and she was about to go storm the ladies locker room like Patton in World War II.

It was Rachel who recognized this and rolled her eyes at the Latina. She was no longer afraid of Santana. "Relax, I think Quinn is more than capable of taking herself by now, Santana." She was prepared to hog tie the girl to the seats if it meant stopping her from embarrassing Quinn.

Quinn emerged from the locker room a few minutes later dressed in the team warm-up pants, a Yale Swim team t-shirt and the cutest tennis shoes Rachel had ever seen. She still had the same haircut that she had at graduation and she is positively glowing as the men's team fist pumped her and slapped her on the shoulder in congratulations.

Quinn stopped in front of Matt. The Quinn Fabray that ruled the halls of McKinley high would have soaked up all the attention. Now though, she could live without it; she simply want to swim and expel energy. She didn't even qualify for the next round and truthfully she was struggling to hold back tears as the emotion of competing again rolled over her.

"Hey." He whispered just so she heard him and no one else. "You are amazing."

She couldn't help it. Her face crumpled and she took a deep, shuddering breath.

"Hey now. No don't cry, Quinn."

Suddenly he was pushing her back towards her hiding spot underneath the diving platform. And she didn't even care that he was guiding her wheelchair, when she was independent enough and hated anyone pushing her. But it was Matt and in the four months of their friendship she let him in completely.

Santana watched as Quinn broke down hard shuddering sobs racking her friend's body. After forever, Quinn relaxed and lifted her head back. Quinn's 'pure happiness' cackle, as Santana called it, was music to her ears. Quinn glanced her way before blushing. Kurt and Rachel were sitting there with their mouths hanging open like fish.

"You're friends have been staring at you all day." He whispered into her ear when she finally calmed down from complete sobbing to cute little hiccups. The annoyance in his voice was clear. If they were her friends, then why were they staring at her? He didn't get it. But then again, he saw just her, not the wheelchair, even in the beginning.

_Three months earlier…_

_She was stunning, absolutely beautiful, breathtaking and gorgeous. That was his fist thoughts when he saw her sitting outside the dorms right before some ice breaker thing the residents of the first floor had been dragged into by their RA's. The dorm was split into the girls wing and the guys wing. Most RA's preferred to keep the team building split as well but not first floor. He was forever grateful. _

_He slipped into the slot closest to her on the picnic bench she was near._

_"Hey."_

_She looked up at him and he could see her nerves in her beautiful hazel eyes._

_"I'm Matt." He sounded lame to his own ears. Girls made him nervous and he had no clue what he was doing._

_She hesitated and something flickered in her own eyes before she spoke. "Quinn."_

_To him it was like the angels opened up and started singing._

_It wasn't until two weeks later when he worked up the courage to ask her on a date that she pulled the punches._

_"If you want maybe we could go get a burger or something."_

_She looked startled as if she never expected anyone to ask her that. He didn't understand it. She was beautiful...perfect._

_"Is this a date?" Now he was really confused and didn't understand the tone in her voice._

_"Yeah... That is if you want it to be. I like you Quinn."_

_She backed away from him._

_"I'm paralyzed and in a wheelchair." She stated it like it was the end of the world. Like no guy should be attracted to her. She was in a wheelchair; she didn't have the plague._

_"Yeah. I know." He didn't know much about it but he saw the way she moved her legs with her hands and figured it was something like that._

_"And you," she pointed at his chest, "want to go out, with me?" She motioned back towards herself._

_"Quinn, when I look at you, the first thing I see is you, not the chair. And I want to know you." There he said it; he felt like he just swam all four legs of a relay, he was such a nerd._

_She had tears in her eyes. "Chair and all?"_

_Gently with his other hand he thumbed a tear away from her beautiful eyes. "Yes." It was simple; all that needed to be said._

_She chuckled then, giving him just a glimpse into her beautiful laugh._

_"So, Quinn Fabray. Do you want to go out to dinner with me?"_

_"Yes." It was simple and all that needed to be said._

She chuckled glancing up at them before locking eyes with him. He loved the smirk on her face. "I kinda didn't tell them it was an able-bodied team and meet. I think I kind of left them a little in the dark about today."

"You think?" He was frowning at her now. "No wonder they look sorta stupefied. Have you told them anything about the last three months?"

Looking over at her friends questioning glances, she sniggered again and put a hand to her mouth. I really shouldn't laugh at them, but it's actually kind of funny. Come on my trusty steed, I want to introduce you." The happiness in her voice made his heart soar.

"I think I'm offended. Did you just call me a horse?" He's joking of course as he extracts himself from under her and then she's getting a piggy-back again as his long legs climb over the bleachers.

"Hey guys." She greeted them, feeling rather tall on Matt's back but also kinda nervous. She had a long way to fall if he dropped her. She imagined herself tumbling down the bleachers; that wouldn't look pretty.

Matt tried to be as coordinated as he could, but in the end she just kinda plopped down practically on top of Santana, one of her legs getting caught over the top of the Latin girl's.

"Yeah, that was as elegant as Chewbacca having a seizure." She was laughing as she retrieved the wayward limb because Matt was scrunched down in a space that would have been small for someone of average size, let alone half-giants.

"What the hell, Q!" Santana burst out while hugging her fiercely. "A little warning next time you're gonna land on my head."

"Jeez, San. Oxygen is kinda nice." She grunted from underneath her friend.

"Oh, sorry." Santana shoved off her and blushed deeply, which was strange for Santana, but Quinn was used to it. Her accident had softened her friend up some.

"I'm Matt," he introduced himself. "Quinn's boyfriend, slash personal mobility manager," he grinned. "It's good to meet you all at last. I would say Quinn's told me everything about you guys, but we all know that's not true." He raised an eyebrow at her, causing her to blush slightly. He then turned towards Kurt. "You just be Kurt. Nice outfit."

Kurt slicked back his hair and looked the swim jock up and down until Rachel elbowed him in the ribs to get him to stop. Matt was turning red.

After the introductions were completed, her friends all talked over themselves in their excitement. He was mainly watching Quinn, who was alternating between carrying on the conversation and looking down towards where her wheelchair sat. She was feeling a bit stranded without it and as the women's event concluded, she interrupted the chatter, Matt needed to start his warm up and she was not about to descend the bleachers on her bum in front of the whole crowd. There were promises to catch up later.

-GLEE-

Santana and the gang, as she started to think of the group of glee members that migrated to NYC, stood outside the aquatics building around four-thirty in the afternoon. Santana received a text from Quinn stating that there was a team meeting and then she and Matt would be out.

The automatic doors opened and the Quinn was making her way towards her. It was insane, she thought, how Quinn was attracted to all the really tall guys, especially now. Matt towered over her, yet he always positioned himself in a way that it didn't

seem like he was.

"Hey guys!" Quinn greeted them and suddenly she was pulled into hugs. Kurt looked like he was about to cry again.

"Quinn you look great." Quinn glanced down at her skinny jeans, black boots and cardigan. Matt had her letter jacket draped over his arms.

"Quinn you look great." Quinn glanced down at her skinny jeans, black boots and cardigan. Matt had her letter jacket draped over his arms.

"Yeah, okay. So where to? We have to be back at 9." She let Matt tug her with one had while pushing against the opposite wheel, completely content in the moment.

They settled on a pizza joint not far from campus as they were a little crunched for time. It was busy with the college crowd on a weekend, and there was a shallow step down into the restaurant. Rachel was about to suggest a different place, but Quinn popped a wheelie and bounced down the step; it was no taller than a curb anyway.

Inside they realized it was standing room only, the greeter informed them there was a fifteen minute wait for a table to open up. Suddenly everyone was staring at her except Matt. He was chuckling, knowing exactly what she was going to say.

"What? I'm already sat down."

Just then someone thumped her in the back of the head with their purse. Santana puffed up, but Quinn chuckled and hitched her finger over her shoulder.

"I like my brain intact, so I will wait out there." With that she spun in as neat a circle as she could manage and headed toward the step, popping a wheelie to exit. She left her Lima friends wondering just who replaced the testy blonde they remembered back in high school.

Matt didn't bother hiding his laughter at their stunned expressions before heading outside too.

TBC


End file.
